Wellbeing Wednesday: Celebrate National Gardening Week

With everyone isolating at home and only going out for essentials and exercise, the garden is taking on a new importance in many of our lives.

Whether you have room for a hedge maze or just a cracked square of concrete, chances are you’ll be spending a lot more time in your garden, be it for fresh air or to stretch your legs.

In the UK the weather is getting warmer (for now, at least) so a lot of the gardeners amongst you will have already dusted off your gloves and be hard at it with a trowel.

The health benefits of gardening are well documented. It’s not just a form of physical exercise, keen gardeners will tell you it brings an enormous sense of mental wellbeing whether you’re caring for a windowsill flower box, a lawn or an allotment.

National Gardening Week starts on Monday (27 April) with a theme of ‘keep gardening’. You can find information on the Royal Horticultural Society website about how you can get into gardening and boost your wellbeing.

Watch the video below to find out from some of our colleagues what their garden means to them. 

Why not share your own story, along with a picture of your garden, on Spark?

Our Employee Assistance Provider called LifeWorks, has a wide range of resources that can help you to maintain your well-being.

If you are struggling with any aspect of life, you can get free, confidential support from independent caring counsellors 24/7, via the phone number on 0800 169 1920 or through unipart.lifeworks.com or the LifeWorks mobile app. 

If you don't already have a log in, find out more about how to sign up here.